Musical device

ABSTRACT

A MUSICAL DEVICE IS DISCLOSED WHICH INCLUDES A SET OF PRESSURE OPERATED ACTUATORS FOR PRODUCING THE MUSICAL NOTES, WHICH ARE SUPPORTED ON A FRAME IN RELATIVELY STAGGERED OPERATIVE POSITIONS ALONG THE INCLINE OF A DOWNWARDLY INCLINED FACE OF THE FRAME, AND AN ACTIVATOR WHICH IS MANUALLY RELEASABLY SUPPORTED ABOVE THE ACTUATORS ON THE FRAME, AND RESPONSIVE TO GRAVITATIONAL FORCE WHEN RELEASED, TO TRANSLATE DOWNWARDLY ALONG AN INCLINE PARALLEL TO THE FACE OF THE FRAME, IN PRESSURE-APPLICABLE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ACTUATORS, TO OPERATE THE SAME, WHILE ROTATING ABOUT AN AXIS EXTENDING CROSSWISE OF THE FACE.

MUSICAL DEVICE Filed Feb. 4, 1970 d 244. ,bm 744, w &L Arme/945 United States Patent 01 fice 3,608,4l4 Patented Sept. 28, 1971 3,608,414 MUSICAL DEVICE Curley H. Williams, 2205 2nd Ave., Seattle, Wash. 98121 Filed Feb. 4, 1970, Ser. No. 8,465 Int. CI. Gf 1/ 08 U.S. Cl. 84-102 16 Claims ABS'I'RACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A musical device is disclosed which includes a set of pressure operated actuators for producing the musical notes, which are supported on a frame in relatively staggered operative positions along the incline of a downwardly inclined face of the frame; and an activator which is manually releasably supported above the actuators on the frame, and responsive to gravitational force when released, to translate downwardly along an incline parallel to the face of the frame, in pressure-applicable engagement with the actuators, to operate the same, while rotating about an axis extending crosswise of the face.

FIELD oF THE INVENTION This invention relates to musical devices, and in particular to^devices of this nature which are adapted both to produce pleasurable sounds for the ear, and to serve as learning aids in the study of music.

'OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION A principal object of the present invention is to provide a device of this nature which is gravity-driven, so that it can be activated without either motor power or hand power. Another object is to provide a device of this nature in which the musical notes are produced by a set of actuators that are applied to a supporting frame in the manner of printer's type, so that the device makes a convenient learning aid, especially for young children who enjoy the selection, handling, and placement of small objects in connection with the learning process. Other objects include the provision of a device of this nature which is cheap to make, readily understandable to use, and simple to operate. Still further objects will become apparent from the description of the invention which follows hereafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION These objects are realized by a musical device of my invention which includes a set of pressure-operated actuators for producing the musical notes, which are supported on a frame in relatively staggered operative positions along the incline of a downwardly inclined face of the frame; and an activator which is manually releasably supported above the actuators on the frame, and responsive to gravitational force when released, to translate downwardly along an incline parallel to the face of the frame, in pressure applicable engagement with the actuators, to operate the same, while rotating about an axis extending cross-wise of the face. The device also includes means for retardng the rotation of the activator as it translates, so as to retard the rate of downward travel of the activator in turn. There are also means for ad'- usting the inclination of the face of the frame, where necessary or desirable.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, each of the actuators is upstanding from and depressable in relation to the face, as for example, where the actuators are pivotally supported on the frame, and undergo pivotal movement about a cross-wise axis of the face when engaged by the activator. Also, in these embodiments, the

activator includes a rotatable member which translates over the face of the frame, and is operable to roll over the actuators, andto pivot or depress the same in doing so.

The actuators may operate to produce the notes in many ways. For example, the above-described pivotal form of actuator is biased to return to upstanding position when disengaged by the rotatable activator member, and the note corresponding thereto is sounded when the actuator is returned to such a position. In fact, the means for biasing the actuator includes a note-sounding striker which sounds the note on impact with a percussion device. The striker is pivotally mounted on the frame, and is pivotally raised into striking position by a pull cord which is operatvely connected with the actuator corresponding to the striker. Depressing the actuator has the eifect of exerting a pull on the cord, relative to the striker; whereas the striker exerts a counter-pull, and sounds the note, when the actuator is released by the rotatable member.

Preferably, the rotatable member is elongated and cylindrical in shape, and the means for retarding the rotation of the activator includes a pair of drag wheels on the end portions of the member which are each charged with a liquid or liquid-like material which undergoes a serpentine or other circuitous course in flowing circumferentially about the wheels. The preferred embodiments of the invention also employ means for maintaining the axis of rotation of the activator on a cross-wise perpendicular to the face of the frame, as for example, where a rack and pinion are cooperatively employed on the frame and activator, respectively, to serve this function.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING These features will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates one of the preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawing, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a musical device of this nature;

FIG. 2 is a part side elevation and part longitudinal cross-sectional view of the device;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional View along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one of the actuators ernployed in the device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION O-F THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing, it will be seen that the device comprises an elongated, low-slung bed-like box frame 2 which is equipped at one end with an inverted, T-shaped slide bar 4 and a complementally grooved clamping plate 5 that act as a Vertically adjustable prop with which to elevate that end above the other, so that the upper face 6 of the frame is inclined to the horizontal as in FIGS. l and 2:. The clamping plate 5 is apertured to receive a pair of wng-nutted stud bolts 10 on the headwall 11 of the frame, and the slide bar 4 is slidable in the groove 8 of thevplate when the wing nuts are loosened and a vertical adjustment is made. The upper end portion 2' of the frame immediately below the headwall is divided off from the remaining greater lower end portion 2" of the frame, by au intermediate partition wall 14, and is open at the top to house a xylophone-like percussion device 16 comprising a series of metal or wooden bars 18 which are graduated in length to sound notes of the musical scale, and individually loosely pinned to a pair of parallel cross supports 20 interposed between the side walls 22 of the frame. The bars 18 are sounded by an equal number of metal or wooden hammer-like strikers 24 which are pivotally mounted on a common shaft 26 that is Secured between a pair of brackets 28 on the partition wall. The lower end portion 2" of the frame is covered by a face plate 30 which is slotted (at 32) along spaced, parallel,

longitudinally extending planes thereof that coincide with the hinges 34 of the strikers. Also insubstantial alignment with the hinges is a set of actuator cords 36 which are attached to the hinges and passed downwardly through apertures 38 in the partition wall 14 and the toe wall 39 of the frame; Whereafter they are secured to and wound about an equal number of cap screws 40 which are stationed upright in the planes of the slots 32 on a ledger 42 extending between the supporting legs 44 at the bottom of the frame. The cap screws 40 are used as a means for adjusting the tension in the cords, which are drawn tight over a series of spaced, parallel cross ribs 45 secured at regular intervals between the side walls of the frame immediately below the cords.

In use, the strikers 24 are operated through the medium of the cords by one or more actuator 46 which 'are manually applied to the slots 32 in the frame, in accord with the tune to be played on the percussion device. Referring to FIG. 4, it will be seen that each actuator 46 comprises a horn-and-bill shaped rocker member 47 which has a pair of oppositely laterally directed trunnion pins 48 on the flat sides 50 thereof, and a shallow notch 52 in its bill 54. The rocker members are adapted to be sldably inserted in the slots, with the notched bills 54 of the same resting on the cords below, and the trunnion pins resting in shallow branch grooves 56 which are recessed in the face 6 of the cover laterally outwardly from the slots 32, adjacent the upper of each pair of cross ribs 45. Moreover, when the rocker members are disposed in this condition, the pointed horns 55 of the same are upstanding from the face 6 of the frame, with their backs sloping downwardly toward the face as in FIG. 2. Thus, each rocker member is easily depressed by applying pressure to the back of its hom, and when depressed, it has the eifect of forming a bght in the cord correspondng thereto, so as to shorten the cord and thus raise the striker connected therewth. On the other hand, when the rocker member is released, the weight of the striker is sufiicient to raise the cord, and to simultaneously sound the note corresponding to it among the bars 18.

The rocker members are depressed and released in appropriate sequence by a water-laden barbell-like activator indicated at 58 in the drawing. The activator 58 comprises an elongated cylndrical rod 60 which has, firstly, a toothed pinion 62 on each end, followed by a waterladen drag wheel 64 with a spacer bushing 66 interposed therebetween. Each drag wheel has a hollow casing 67, and a hollow cylndrical hub 68 therewithin about which a series of radially disposed vanes 70 are staggered in alternate angular sequence from one axial half of the wheel to the other. Water 72 or a water substitute, ircluding a liquid-like solid such as sand, is encapsulated in the wheel in a quantity adapted to function in a manner which will be described shortly.

When it is put to use, the activator is rested on the frame at the upper end thereof as in FIG. 1, and allowed to translate downwardly along the length of the frame as all parts of the same rotate about the longitudinal axis of the rod 60. Moreover, to assure that the activator maintains a substantially normal or perpendicular condition with respect to the frame, as it travels, the side walls 22 of the frame are corbelled in two steps 74 and 76, and the lower steps 76 have toothed racks 78 therealong to cooperate with the pinions 62 of the activator. Thus, the activator travels in a controlled course, first depressing and then releasing each of the actuators 46 in ts path, so as to sound the notes corresponding thereto. The progress of the activator is suitably slowed, however, by the action of the'liquid-like drag material 72 within the wheels, which must find its way from one Compartment 80 to the next in a circuitous serpentine course around the radially extending ends 70' of the vanes; and thus is able to work its way downwardly on the righthand side of each wheel in FIG. 2, only at a lesser rate than it floods i to the compartments on the left-hand side,

4 so that as a result, it constitutes a drag on the rotation of the wheels, and they in turn, on the rotation of the activator.

Resilient bumpers 82 on the legs 44 of the frame halt the travel of the activator.

I claim as` my invention:

1. A kit for assembling a musical device, comprising an activator, a support device defining a guideway for the activator, which is operatively *downwardly inclirred along one dimension thereof, musical note producing means associated with the support device, a set of discrete actuators for the musical note producing means, and means for detachably engaging each of the actuators on the support device at one of an array of sites spaced apart transversely of the guideway in planes traversing the guideway crosswise the incline thereof, said activator having a breadth as great as that of the array of sites crosswise the incline of the gudeway, and being releasably supportable above the array of sites adjacent the upper end of the gudeway, to translate downwardly along the guideway under the force of gravity, in operative engagement with the actuators as it passes through the planes thereof.

2. In combination, an activator, a device defining a guideway for the activator, which is downwardly inclned along one dimension thereof, musical note producing means associated with the gudeway, and a set of actuators for the musical note producing means, each of which is disposed in a plane traversing the guideway crosswise the. incline thereof, said activator being releasably supported above the actuators, adjacent the upper end of the gudeway, to translate downwardly along the guideway under the force of gravity, in operative engagement with the actuators, by rotating about an axis extending crosswise the incline of the gudeway, and carrying damper means thereon for retarding the rate of rotation thereof.

3. In a musical device having musical note producing means and a plurality of actuators for the musical note producing means which are disposed in a plane of said device, means for activating the actuators including an elongated, cylndrical activator which operatively translates along a course parallel to said plane by rotating about the longitudinal aXis of said activator, and is equipped with rotation retarding means including a wheel thereon which is charged with a liquid-like material which undergoes a circuitous course in fiowing circumferentially about the wheel.

4. The musical device according to claim 3 wherein the course is rectlinear and downwardly inclined, and the activator translates therealong under the force of gravity.

5. In combination, an activator, a device defining a guideway for the activator, which is downwardly inclined along one dimension thereof, musical note producing means associated with the device, and a set of actuators for the musical note producing means, each of which is disposed in a plane traversing the guideway crosswise the incline thereof, at one of an array of sites spaced apart transversely of the gudeway, said activator having a breadth as great as that of the array of sites crosswise the incline of the gudeway, and being releasably supported above the array of sites, adjacent the upper end of the gudeway, to translate downwardly along the guideway under the force of gravity, in operative engagement with the actuators as it passes through the planes thereof.

6. The combination according to claim 5 wheren the activator is adapted to translate along the guideway by rotating about an axis crosswise the incline thereof.

7. The combination according to claim 6 Wheren the activator has damper means thereon for retarding the rate of rotation thereof.

`8. The combination according to claim 7 whereir the damper means takes the form of a pair of wheels adjacent the axial ends of the activator, each of which is charged with a liquid or liquid-like material which undergoes a circuitous course in fiowing circumferentially about the wheel.

9. The combination according to claim 5 wherein the actuators are shftable from one site to another within the array.

10. The combination according to claim 5 wherein the guideway is defined by a pair of spaced racks, and the activator has a pair of pinions thereon which are engageable with the racks.

11. A combination according to claim 5 wherein the actuators are pressure operated by the actvator.

12. The combination according to claim 11 wherein the actuators are supported on the device to undergo pivotal motion about axes in the planes thereof when engaged by the actvator.

13. The combination according to claim 12` wherein the actuators are removably trunnioned on the device in pairs of grooves spaced apart in the respective planes thereof.

14. The combination according to claim 12 wherein the musical note producing means includes a percussion device for each actuator, and a striker operatively interposed between the actuator and the percussion device to sound the percussion device in response to pivotal motion on the part of the actuator.

15. The combination according to claim 5 wherein the activator is manually released from the position thereof above the array of sites.

16. The combination according to claim 15 wherein the incline of the guideway is adjustable relative to a horizontal plane.

References Cited RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner 20 L. R. FRANKLIN, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 46-175; 74-422 

